Pirates to bring back entire coaching staff in '12

PITTSBURGH -- Manager Clint Hurdle's entire 2011 coaching staff will be returning next season, the Pirates announced on Tuesday. All eight Major League coaches had been working under terms of a one-year contract.

There was never expected to be much shakeup in the coaching staff, and Hurdle doled out liberal praise for the group when asked for his assessment late in the season.

"I'm very pleased with the job the coaches have done," Hurdle said. "I think there has been growth all over the board. These guys have great thoughts, and they can see me from a different perspective. I can learn from them and hopefully they can learn from me, and we've got better together."

When Hurdle assembled his coaching staff last winter, it included four coaches who were already working in the organization -- Jeff Banister (bench coach), Ray Searage (pitching coach), Gregg Ritchie (hitting coach) and Heberto Andrade (bullpen catcher). Returning along with them will be Nick Leyva (third-base coach), Luis Silverio (first-base coach), Euclides Rojas (bullpen coach) and Mark Strittmatter (Major League coach).